On Thu, 23 Jun 2016 19:04:04 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Mrchanical regulators that use a relay can develop a fault
which mak3s the spring stronger...

Huh? That last time I saw a mechanical regulator was on a generator.
There were a few alternators with mechanical regulators, but they
never worked well. Ever since the 1960's, alternators had electronic
regulators that were usually located INSIDE the alternator housing. I
did have some kind of alternator that I installed in 1960 Ford Falcon
that had an external solid state regulator.

I am from a car family, I can BUILD a car from scrap metal.

Except for the engine and running gear, I've helped build vehicles of
sorts out of scrap metal. You can see the modern incantation on New
Year's day as the Cal Poly Rose Float. Powering 25,000 lbs of scrap
metal and soaking wet flowers down the road is not simple easy:
http://www.asi.calpoly.edu/university_union/rose_float
http://www.rosefloat.org
https://www.google.com/search?q=cal+poly+rose+float&tbm=isch
I was involved between approx 1969 and 1971. Cal Poly was famous for
animation on the floats, which was mostly mechanical until 1967, when
I helped switch to electrical using mostly windshield wiper motors.
Eventually, it morphed into a monitor like water canon, which I won't
explain. The problem was with all the electric motors running,
electrical power at idle was at a premium. It wasn't just electrical
power, but also hydraulic power, all originating from a 4 cyl tractor
engine of dubious origin. We could rev the engine, but that produced
too much smoke and noise. So, we introduced a pony engine
specifically to run the hydraulic and electrical stuff thus allowing
the vehicle engine to stay at near idle most of the time. After a few
disgusting failures trying to use junk yard alternators of the era, I
moved up to bigger is better alternators. A few years after I
graduated, the various electrical system was powered by three
alternators and tractor batteries, each running part of the electrical
system and animation. Automation had progressed from me flipping
toggle switched, to cams, to a rats nest of timers, to PLC's, and
finally to computah control with solid state switches.

http://www.cpp.edu/~library/specialcollections/rosefloat/floatimages/1969photo.html
http://www.cpp.edu/~library/specialcollections/rosefloat/floatimages/1970photo.html
http://www.cpp.edu/~library/specialcollections/rosefloat/floatimages/1971photo.html
I rode inside the 1971 float acting as the electrical animation
controller, flipping switches in the proper sequence. I also managed
to be located under one of the numerous hydraulic fluid leaks and
finished the parade soaked in hot hydraulic fluid.

The kid in the bed would raise himself, rub his eyes, the toys would
bounce around, and then he would lower himself back onto the bed. The
problem was that the kid weighed far too much for the hardware we
used. About 2 weeks after the parade, we returned the float back to
Pomona, where it was shown on campus, and later disassembly. During
disassembly, we discovered that some of the few bolts holding the kid
to the hinge assembly had sheared half way though. I was presented
with one of the bolts, which I still have somewhere.

I can scan some old photos and post them if you want to see vehicular
scrap metal in action. Oh, found one photo:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/jeffl/slides/RoseFloat01.html
That's me at work. The main hinge is just above my legs. The 4 bolts
and leaky hydraulics are at various points above my head.



--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558